Petitions

A petition is a student’s formal request for an exception to the deadlines, degree requirements and rules and regulations of the Faculty of Information. If your petition was refused, you may be eligible to appeal that decision.

Graduate students petitions must show the grounds on which students believe that the regulation should be waived or altered. Students should consult their academic advisor before proceeding with a petition or appeal.

Petitions are reviewed and decided by the Faculty Committee on Standing.

The Committee on Standing convenes at the following time periods to consider each term’s petitions:

  • Fall Term Petitions: Beginning of January
  • Winter Term Petitions: Late May
  • Summer Term Petitions: Beginning of September

Coursework Extensions

Petitions must be submitted to Student Services no later than one week in advance of the Committee on Standing meeting. Please check our Academic Dates & Deadlines for the specific date by which students must submit their petition each term in order for it to be considered by the Committee on Standing.

Requests for extensions to submit coursework during the term are typically negotiated between students and their instructors directly.

If an extension is needed beyond the end of the term, then students need to petition the Committee on Standing for an official coursework extension. It’s important for students in such a situation to book an appointment with your academic advisor from the Student Services team.

How do I submit a coursework extension petition?

Extension to Complete Coursework Form: Faculty of Information (FI) — Extension to Complete Coursework Form (PDF)

A written statement (maximum of 1 page) explaining:

  • The extenuating circumstances that negatively impacted your ability to complete the coursework on time.
  • How the extenuating circumstances were beyond your control.
  • If the extenuating circumstances still persist, how you plan to overcome them to complete the outstanding coursework.

Any supporting documents:

  • If you were negatively impacted by a medical situation, you are required to provide a Verification of Illness (PDF).
  • If you are registered with Accessibility Services, provide a letter from your accessibility advisor.

Submit the above documents to Student Services through your academic advisor.

What are reasons to request a coursework extension?

Legitimate reasons for an extension can be academic in nature (e.g., unexpected obstacles in conducting research) or non-academic (e.g., illness, personal). The Committee may or may not support a request for an extension. Generally, the Committee will only consider documented, extraordinary, unexpected circumstances as valid reasons for extending coursework into a subsequent term.

To have a legitimate request, the student needs to demonstrate that:

  • They were in a situation that was unforeseeable and that was sufficiently serious to prevent them from completing the coursework on time.
  • They would not be placing in jeopardy the normal and satisfactory completion of new course work, if their coursework extension request were approved. The Committee on Standing may determine that new course work should not be undertaken until the outstanding course work is completed, or that an extension should not be provided given the amount of new coursework the student may undertake.
  • They have a reasonable chance of completing outstanding requirements within the time to be allotted.

Petition results

The Committee on Standing will communicate with students who have requested an extension to complete course work. There are only two possible outcomes: Approved or Denied.

  • Approved petitions for an extension will identify the new deadline.
  • Denied petitions will assign to the student the grade they have earned for completed work and zero for any incomplete work.

Students may appeal a denied petition to the Academic Appeals Committee. More information on appeals can be found below.

Retroactive Withdrawal (WDR)

After the official deadline to drop a course without academic penalty has passed, students wishing to drop a course must petition to the Committee on Standing for a late withdrawal from the course. It is important for students in such a situation to meet with your academic advisor. Withdrawals approved under this procedure will be noted on the academic record with the status WDR (retroactive withdrawal). This course status will have no effect on the GPA. 

Required Documents for the Petition

  • Complete an Add / Drop Course Form (PDF) (Complete the “Drop” section) 
  • Provide a statement on the extenuating circumstances, that were beyond your control, that negatively impacted your ability to complete the course, and what prevented you from dropping the course by the term’s drop deadline (without academic penalty). 
  • Provide any supporting document(s): 
  • For instance, if you were negatively impacted by a medical situation, please provide documentation: Verification of Illness (PDF). 
  • If you are registered with Accessibility Services, a letter from your accessibility advisor will suffice as supporting documentation. 
  • Submit the above documents to Student Services through your academic advisor. 

Petition results

The Committee may or may not support the request based on the reasons and supporting documentation submitted. Generally, the Committee will only consider documented, extraordinary, unexpected circumstances as valid reasons for dropping a course after the official drop deadline. This could be a personal or medical situation, but the situation must be one that was unforeseeable and that was sufficiently serious that it prevented the student from completing the course. 

The Committee’s decision will be sent for review by the School of Graduate Studies. Please note that the graduate grading policy does not require assignments to be returned before the drop deadline. Waiting for mid-term results is not a valid reason for missing the drop deadline, and will not be considered by the Committee on Standing. 

The Committee on Standing does not consider requests for late withdrawal based on misunderstanding of how ACORN works. 

Appeals

Graduate students may dispute substantive or procedural academic matters, including grades; evaluation of comprehensive examinations and other program requirements; decisions about the student’s continuation in any program; or any other decision with respect to the application of academic regulations and requirements to a student.

A graduate student wishing to appeal a decision made by the Faculty should submit an appeal, in written form, to the Graduate Academic Appeals Board (GAAB) via the School of Graduate Studies (SGS).

Students may not appeal admissions decisions, fees and or the voluntary withdrawal from a graduate program.

  • Students must first attempt to resolve the matter with the instructor or other person whose ruling is in question.
  • If the matter is not resolved and the student wishes to pursue it further, the student must discuss the matter with the Associate Dean, Academic.
  • A graduate student wishing to appeal a decision should submit an appeal, in written form, to the Graduate Department Academic Appeals Committee (GDAAC).
  • Students are eligible to submit an appeal within 8 weeks of the occurrence of the ruling they wish to appeal against.

The Academic Appeals Committee constitutes part of the overall academic appeals procedures available to Faculty of Information students at the University of Toronto. The Committee is advisory to the Faculty Dean who is not bound by the Committee’s recommendation.

Within the overall academic appeals procedure, this Academic Appeals Committee has a high level of discipline-specific academic expertise to judge the academic matters in an appeal. Therefore, this Committee plays a crucial role in the overall appeals procedure. This Committee may consider only academic matters. Decisions related to admission to an academic program, including admission to the doctoral program for current master’s students, are not subject to appeal. Issues relating to non-academic matters (for example, fees) are not considered by the Committee.

These guidelines will be made available to the Committee membership, and to all appellants. It is within the authority of the Dean to alter any of the procedures outlined herein, if circumstances warrant. However, members of the Committee and the appellant should be notified in writing as soon as possible of any changes in procedures and reasons for the changes.

Upon the recommendation of the Faculty Academic Appeals Committee or GDAAC, the Dean will make a final decision on the student’s appeal. The Dean’s decision is considered the final decision of the Faculty.